F150 does nothin :(

Hi guys!

Since you've always been so much help in the past.. I'm back with another problem.

99 F150... high KM's.. always well maintained.. highway miles. approx 350,000km

Has been working fine.. just put new shocks brakes plugs etc etc on it.

Went to the grocery store the other day, was in there like 10 minutes, come out.. truck won't start.
You turn the key, and get 1 click-type sound coming from somewhere under the hood.
We tried boosting it, with no difference..

We're almost thinking it's the starter but don't know that for sure... and don't really want to spend $150 for a new starter if we don't know thats the problem. Also hesitant to have it towed to the mechanic, as finances are quite tight right now.

The one thing we're wondering if it's related, is every now and then the electric windows won't work, but if you push in on the fuse box.. they will work again... something loose in there I guess.

Can anyone give me any ideas of what this could be...
If you think it's the starter is there a way to check it?
Thanks again!!
Lyndsay


Addition...
Thanks toddman67... went out & checked the battery cables, lugs etc. They're all fine.
Crawled under the truck, and noticed the a cable that goes from the starter solenoid to the solenoid on the firewall looked green.. Could this corrosion be causing the problem?
Going to try to replace it tomorrow in the daylight, hopefully have some luck there..

Start with the basics. Remove and clean the battery cables, Check the ground at the engine. Make sure the battery cable lugs are clean and making good contact.
If all else fails, remove the starter and bench test it with a set of jumper cables or have it checked at your local supply chain.

This sounds very much what happens with mine.
I have a 97 F150, starts when it feels like it, other times, won't turn over.
Had the starter replaced, solenoid, the battery is less than a year old, 12.75+/- volts, just had neutral safety switch replaced.

Still dead.
Everything else works, lights, radio, etc.

So, these are the things I'd check first - battery, solenoid, starter, neutral safety switch.

I think your case is a bit different from mine, I suspect that whatever is causing this may have been from mice living in the dashboard. Had a problem with that last year, right before all this began.

Thwe single click you hear is likely solenoid switch functioning. The first half of its function which is to close a big switch. Just because it is closing switch, doesn't mean that it is actually allowing power through closed switch.

Check for output on starter side of solenoid.

Sounds like a locked up starter.

Usually when the solenoid is defective it makes a rapid clicking racket. One click and nothing indicates a bad starter. They lock up when the bushings on the armature get so worn that the armature grounds out against the fields. Turn on your lights and watch them as you hit the starter. If they go really dim or lose light completely the starter is grounding out. If this is the case they are really hard to start when the engine is hot because the parts expand and ground out. If you can start it when it is cold and not hot then this is the case. I'd replace that corroded cable first and then see how it does.

"Usually when the solenoid is defective it makes a rapid clicking racket"

This has not been my experience. I find the rapid clicking more often occurs with low electric power input, IOW plenty of power to function solenoid, not enough to function starter.

Let's put it to the collected experience here.

If the starter is bad take a hammer and rap the starter a few times but not to hard. If it starts the starter is going bad this only works a few times.